AHDIBCB Chapter 53

L-Love? Talk about what?!

Li Heng opened his eyes, wondering if he had misheard. “Wife, was that you talking to me just now?”

Yuan Yi said, “Yes. I said, let’s fall in love.”

Li Heng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “We’re already married, and you want me to downgrade from husband to boyfriend?”

Yuan Yi nodded. “I’ve never been in a relationship before. I know what you’re thinking, but really, I haven’t. I’ll tell you the reason later. So, do you want to give it a try?”

Li Heng did indeed think of Bai Wanzhe.

Logically speaking, based on what he knew, Bai Wanzhe and Yuan Yi could be considered to have been in a relationship. Although the two had never met each other’s parents, and had never officially confirmed their relationship in public, they probably had each other in their hearts at the time, and there had been a period of ambiguity. The chat records that had once been posted on the forum weren’t entirely fabricated.

But Yuan Yi’s expression was very serious, and he didn’t look like he was lying.

Li Heng’s mental energy was at its most active in the mornings when he woke up. Even without deliberately sensing it, he could tell that Yuan Yi wasn’t lying. Yuan Yi’s emotions were very sincere.

But… boyfriend…

Li Heng said, “Somehow I feel like I’m getting the short end of the stick here?”

Without hesitation, Yuan Yi turned away. “Then forget it.”

Li Heng hurriedly pulled the person back into his arms. “Forget what? My wife is suggesting we fall in love—of course I have to give it my all to cooperate. But if you’re my boyfriend, then it wouldn’t be right for me to call you ‘wife’. During the dating phase, we should show a bit of respect for each other, right?”

Yuan Yi thought, You’re finally being serious for once, and nodded. “Right.”

Li Heng: “Then from now on, I’ll call you ‘baby’, okay?”

Yuan Yi: “…General Li, did you have a monkey as one of your teachers?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re so good at climbing up poles¹T/N: “climbing up poles” is a Chinese idiom meaning someone who plays along very quickly or takes advantage of a situation.—wasn’t it a monkey who taught you? Also, early in a relationship is a stage for getting to know each other better. Hugging and cuddling like this is unscientific. It’s hot.” Yuan Yi pushed him away and lay back on his own pillow. “We’ve just confirmed our relationship. Please, dear boyfriend, don’t get so close.”

“…Is it too late to regret?”

“Too late. No reloading the save.”

“Wife.”

“Hmm?”

“Can you tell me—how do you manage to say such cute things with that cool, detached expression on your face?”

Yuan Yi: “…Is it possible that you’re the only one in the world who thinks I’m cute?”

Speaking very seriously, the word “cute” had nothing to do with him since childhood. From a very young age, he had already learned how to read others’ expressions and moods, and knew how to act in order to gain the most benefit for himself. For a period of time, he gave off a strong impression of being calculating. In truth, just from brief interactions, there weren’t many people who liked him.

Later, some people came to understand him through long-term contact, realizing that he wasn’t trying to take advantage of anyone. But even so, it was still hard to get close to him.

They all said that it was as if he wore an invisible suit of armor when interacting with people. He could be friends with others, but it was hard to become close friends. Because once someone became too enthusiastic toward him, he might back away.

Eventually, he gradually realized that he might indeed have some issues—but still wasn’t able to change. Perhaps, deep down, he believed that was the safest distance between people.

Until Li Heng appeared.

He didn’t know if it was because this man’s spiritual power was too strong, but he could always tell what he was thinking. If it had been anyone else, he would have already kept far away. But when this man appeared, he happened to carry an identity no one else ever had before—his legal partner.

They already had a clearly defined status in terms of identity. They were in a legally recognized spousal relationship, and not yet in a position to separate.

It became hard to avoid him. And even if he did try, this person would chase after him.

Li Heng seemed to be the proactive type in every aspect.

Among the people he had known before, none had energy strong enough to affect his emotions or sway his judgment.

But this person could.

Li Heng said, “I have an eye for recognizing a pearl. Besides, if my wife isn’t cute, then who is? Anyone who doesn’t think you’re cute just has poor eyesight.”

Yuan Yi seriously suspected he was slipping—he actually felt happy hearing a bit of praise, and it was such exaggerated praise too. But he really couldn’t suppress the corners of his mouth.

He pressed his lips together, gave a light cough, and said, “Don’t be so glib.”

Li Heng smiled and pinched his ear. “Still sleepy? If you are, sleep a bit more. If not, I’ll take you out for a walk.”

Yuan Yi said, “I’m not sleepy, but I’m really not used to this feeling of it always looking like night.”

Whether it was before he transmigrated or after, he had always lived a life with a clear alternation of yin and yang, of day and night—but out here in the vast sea of stars, all of that seemed blurred. There were different rules here.

Li Heng said, “Once we get to the main ship, it’ll be much better than now. The Ghost Ship is actually a sub-ship of the Sirius Ship, but it operates independently of it. It was made for handling emergencies, so it lacks many of the main ship’s functions. It exists solely for combat.”

Yuan Yi asked, “Then are we going to the Sirius Ship?”

Come to think of it, he had really been too relaxed. Once he confirmed it was Li Heng who had taken him, he didn’t even ask right away where they were going next.

Li Heng asked, “You want to go to the Sirius Ship?”

Yuan Yi answered without thinking, “Of course. And I bet I’m not the only one who thinks that way.”

In his past life, he once had the chance to visit an aircraft carrier and regretted not going. So don’t even mention a giant super interstellar battleship like the Sirius—if he had the chance, of course he’d want to see it.

Yuan Yi said, “Will our child be the youngest to set foot on a warship? Has there ever been a pregnant omega or beta on the Sirius Ship?”

Li Heng said, “So far, no. Since its establishment, the Sirius Ship has never had a single omega on board. There have definitely been betas, but not many. And none have ever been pregnant. Strictly speaking, the Sirius Ship is a massive interstellar battle fleet. People do come to visit relatives from time to time, but we have a rule: family members can only be received on sub-ships—they’re not allowed to board the main ship.”

Yuan Yi nodded, indicating he understood.

There wasn’t any look of disappointment on his face—instead, he seemed to fully understand such an arrangement.

He said, “It’s fine. Then we’ll let the kids experience it for themselves after they grow up. That is, if they also join the military.”

That possibility seemed quite high. Although he didn’t have any fixed expectations for the children, his instinct told him that they likely would.

But Li Heng said, “There you go again.”

Yuan Yi was stunned for a moment. “What?”

Li Heng said, “Didn’t we just talk about this yesterday? If you like something, you can try going after it. Why not even try? Just because others can’t go doesn’t mean you can’t.”

Yuan Yi said, “But you’re the commander of the ship—if you take the lead in making exceptions, how will the others still follow you?”

This time, it was Li Heng who froze. A moment later, he looked a little helpless and a little pained. Seeing that Yuan Yi had taken off the short-sleeved top he wore at night, he helped him put on the long T-shirt Yuan Yi had worn yesterday. “You know how to think for others—why don’t you know how to think a little more for yourself?”

Yuan Yi said, “You’re not ‘others.’”

As he said this, the round collar had just been pulled over his head, and his two ears flopped down and then stood back up, pink and soft.

Li Heng felt his heart soften completely—and then there was Yuan Yi’s belly. It was only now that he got a clear look at it.

He hadn’t looked carefully when he touched it before. But now, it was clearly more prominent than it had been when he first came home.

Yuan Yi quickly slipped his arms through the sleeves and pulled the hem down.

But the other party’s gaze still landed on his belly. It was strange—Yuan Yi couldn’t quite describe what kind of gaze that was. A bit loving, yet a bit worried?

He couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Li Heng said, “It’s nothing. Go wash up a bit, we’ll eat first. I’ll take you somewhere afterward.”

Yuan Yi was curious about everything in interstellar space, so of course he was interested in wherever Li Heng wanted to take him.

After breakfast, someone came to disguise Yuan Yi. Once the disguise was complete, his appearance was entirely unrecognizable—even his pheromone scent could be masked. They probably used a method similar to what Zhou Xingran had used on him before—an “A + B = C” kind of effect.

Now he looked like a rather short, very ordinary beta—slightly chubby, the kind of person who could easily disappear in a crowd.

Li Heng, too, was disguised as a very average-looking alpha. The two of them, along with Night Wolf and Flying Wolf (who were also disguised), boarded a small spaceship and headed to the 72nd Defense Zone.

This place was about the same size as the 4th Defense Zone where Zhou Tandai was stationed. A large interstellar supply station served as the foundation, and from that developed multiple commercial areas. In Yuan Yi’s view, even the main commercial area looked like a giant warship. There were also scattered individual vendors—small spacecraft that were registered as businesses, selling all kinds of daily necessities, food, and clothing.

Yuan Yi curiously asked, “You guys do this in your free time too?”

He was disguised as Li Heng’s younger cousin, and the two of them planned to go check out a ready-made clothing shop.

Li Heng understood that Yuan Yi was asking whether the Sirius Fleet also opened up to do business like this. He answered, “No. Defense zones are primarily responsible for guarding a specific area. They don’t see much action and are more passive. Sirius, aside from being on the surface at times, is mostly mobile. It doesn’t have a fixed area to guard—it’s a patrol-type fleet.”

Yuan Yi asked, “So we’re just here to go shopping?”

Li Heng laughed and said, “If I said I’m not, would you be very disappointed?” After saying this, he immediately answered himself, “Of course not, you’re so understanding.”

Yuan Yi: “…”

They arrived at the ready-made clothing store. Yuan Yi picked out three sets of comfortable and easy-to-wear clothes, then went back to the spaceship to change. Afterwards, he went with Li Heng to an underground casino.

The casino was lively and bustling, with crowds of people placing bets, cheering when they won, and feeling frustrated when they lost. No one paid any attention to them at all.

Li Heng escorted Yuan Yi down to the third underground level, walked through a passage with guards every three steps and sentries every five steps, and entered a guest room about sixty square meters in size.

The room was filled with food and drinks, obviously specially prepared.

As soon as Li Heng brought them in, a thirty year-something alpha male sitting on the sofa stood up and came over, heavily pounding Li Heng’s shoulder, “I knew you kid wouldn’t die. Sit down quickly, I’ve been waiting for you all morning.”

This man didn’t ask about the others—he seemed particularly familiar with Li Heng.

Li Heng motioned for everyone to sit down, then said to the other man, “Got delayed by something. Where’s Brother Liang?”

Qian Chongwei replied, “Said he had something to deal with and would come by a bit later. No worries, let’s drink in the meantime. That information you asked us to look into—there are results. If you’re in a hurry, we can talk business first. If not, we can drink and wait for him.”

Li Heng said, “I still need to head over to District Nine in a bit. Tell me what you’ve found out first, and then have someone bring some staple dishes and the local specialties.”

Qian Chongwei asked, “You’re hungry? Haven’t you already tried all the local specialties I’ve got here? Just say which one you want.”

Li Heng replied, “I’m not hungry—my wife and kid are. Let them try some.”

Qian Chongwei quickly scanned the rest of the group, but couldn’t tell which one Li Heng might be into. None of them looked like Li Heng’s type, so he asked in confusion, “You’re planning to pack it to go?”

Li Heng said, “Why would I pack it? My wife’s here too.”

Qian Chongwei: “…”

The alpha’s eyes flashed with a touch of awkwardness. He hesitated for a moment, then quickly made a call to have food sent in.

But things got even more awkward.

Suddenly the door was flung open, and a pink-haired omega burst in like a cannonball. They ran up to Qian Chongwei, then abruptly changed direction and threw themselves into Li Heng’s arms, chattering excitedly, “Brother Heng! I knew you weren’t dead! I knew you’d come back!”

Li Heng immediately pushed them off and, clearly displeased, turned to Qian Chongwei and asked, “Why is he here?”

Qian Chongwei rubbed his nose and said, “What else could it be? He overheard me talking about you with Liang Wei.”

The omega plopped down right next to Li Heng, completely unfazed by being pushed away. His pretty face was lit with joy, brimming with enthusiasm—it was clear he was genuinely happy to see him.

But Li Heng, for once, was flustered. Because ever since that kid had thrown himself at him, Yuan Yi hadn’t looked his way again.

Yuan Yi fiddled with his fingers, his face giving nothing away—no anger, no sadness, absolutely blank. And that, more than anything, made Li Heng anxious.

Still, he had no intention of revealing Yuan Yi’s identity to anyone aside from Qian Chongwei and Liang Wei. One reason: security. Second reason: also security. He and Yuan Yi had agreed on the way there—they would pretend to be cousins in front of outsiders.

But the next moment, he regretted it.

The pink-haired omega, Liang Wanfeng—Liang Wei’s younger brother—started chattering away: “Brother Heng, did you go see that high-compatibility match of yours this time? I heard he was given to the Li family by Zhou Tandai to curry favor with your grandfather. Since he got kidnapped by the Second Prince’s people, you don’t have to care about him anymore, right?”

Li Heng’s expression instantly darkened.

Qian Chongwei, seeing this, quickly warned his brother-in-law: “Wanfeng, cut it out.”

Liang Wanfeng replied, “I’m not making things up! That Zhou Tandai was shady from the start. And that Yuan Yi already had someone else—his messages with that guy got leaked, and they were really mushy. If he really got taken by those Brute savages, he’s probably never coming ba—mmpf! Qian-ge, mmpf—!”

Qian Chongwei slapped a hand over the younger man’s mouth. “Wanfeng, shut up! Don’t spout nonsense!”

Li Heng turned to Yuan Yi and said, “This is Liang Wei’s younger brother, Liang Wanfeng. He’s just a kid.”

Liang Wanfeng pouted, “I’m not a kid. I’m two years older than that Yuan Yi! Brother Heng, if you’re gonna marry someone, it should be me instead. At least my brother’s on your side—unlike that Zhou Tandai, who’s always got one foot in and one foot out!”

Yuan Yi chuckled. “I agree, you’re definitely the better choice—better looking too. Cousin, why don’t you give it some serious thought?”

As he said this, Yuan Yi turned to look at Li Heng with a polite, innocent smile.

General Li almost choked on his own breath.